Aeroplane



2LH?. AKHUNHU l um L. ATWOOD.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 191s.

Patented Deo. 23,1919. 2 SHEETS-vsHEET 2 244. ArriUNHu l we l Fis Las LEONARD ATWOOD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AEROPLANE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

' Application filed April 17, 1918. Serial No. 229,100.

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD ATWooD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ployed which are immediately at hand and unlimited in quantity, which will simplify and light-en the machine, greatly decrease its liability to injury from fire, shrapnel, moisture and consequent weakening of glued joints and surfaces, will increase its strength,

not, however, at all necessary for lighter aeroplanes, nor even the frames 7; and the of Boston, in fthe county of Suffolk and and vastly multiply its speed of production. 60 Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in- The first Series of advantages are obtained vented certain new and useful Improvements by having the planes made rotatably adn Aeroplaneg, of which the following is a justable on an axis transverse to the fusefull, clear, and exact specication. lage and parallel with the planes, so that the In the construction of aeroplanes, it is cus- Pilot can at will set the planes varying be- 65 10 tomary to set the planes or wings at an angle tween a parallel with the fuselage, and

with respect to the line of the fuselage in thirty or more degrees therefrom. order to enable the machine to mount into The second series of advantages are obthe air after a preliminary speeding up tained by omitting the linen ordinarilyi along the ground. lVhen, however, the aeroused, and the complex framing necessitated 70 plane is flying horizontally, this upward inthereby, and inelosing the longitudinal clination of the wings must be counteracted frame timbers of the planes with molded by the rudders, thus giving a resistance to wood fiber or the like. the progress of the machine which materi- Referring to the drawings forming part ally reduces its speed. of this specification, Figure l is a perspec- 75 If, on the other hand, the incidence of tive view of an aeroplane embodying my the planes is reduced to give greater speed improvements. Fig. 2 is a side sectional on the horizontal, the distance the machine View of the saine. Fig. 3 is a transverse must run along the ground before mounting section of the upper plane of a biplane mais correspondingly increased, and its time in chine, to which my invention is illustrated 80 reaching a high altitude is likewise greatly as applied. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section increased. of one of the planes. Fig. 5 is a sectional Further, when the aeroplane engine goes view of certain parts of the rotary supportdead, or some other diflioulty causes the same ing means for the wings. Fig. 6 is a front to dive, the more steeply the flying machine elevation of the aeroplane. Fig. 7 a top 85 turns its nose downward, the less is the value view thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan and of the planes as a supporting medium, and Fig. 9 is a side view of a torpedo carried the greater the certainty of' destruction, and by the aeroplane. the speed of its descent. In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 Another trouble met with in the manufac- .designates the upper plane of a biplane 90 ture and use of aeroplanes is their frailty of aeroplane, 2 the lower planes, and 3 the construction, liability to combustion, expense fuselage, here shown as of twin type. These in labor and materials, and their danger of planes are not fastened directly to the fuseinjury due tol rain on ythe exterior of the lage, but the two lower planes 2 are rigidly planes, and to the moisture of condensation connected to the single upper plane 1, such 95 4o in the interior of the planes, the fuselage and connection including uprights 4. The latter other parts. are fastened to a circular metal frame or The object of this invention is the conwheel 5 at each side of the fuselage, and struction of an aeroplane which can be made said wheels are mounted rigidly upon the to mount as quickly and steeply as the ends of a shaft 6 passing transversely 100 power of its engine will permit, which will through the fuselage parallel 'with the fly on a. straightaway course with a minimum planes. To strengthen these circular frames of resistance and consequently with a maxior wheels 5 and shaft 6 against bending or mum of speed, and which will be in 110 breaking, a corresponding frame 7 is prodanger of destruction because of a dead envided against which eachwheel 5 rests, the 105 gine or a sudden dive. Further objects are frames 7 being fastened rigidly to the fusethe effecting of improvements in materials lage 3. and methods of manufacture which will re- AS Shown in Fig. 5, raceways may be produce expense, enable materials t0 be emvided for ball bearings 8 to diminish friction between the frames 5 and 7. These are 110 frames 5 can be cut down in form and dimensions, but for the heavier machines the structure illustrated is of additional value.

On the shaft 6 is mounted a toothed wheel 9 with which meshes a worm 10 operated by a suit-able hand wheel 11l convenient of access for the pilot.

The operation of the aeroplane is as follows: The saine being on the ground, with the wings turned to present a comparatively steep angle of incidence, the engines are set in motion in the usual manner. After a short race over the ground, the machine quickly takes flight into the air, rising with a bound to the desired height. 1f a. less rapid ascent is preferred, the hand wheel 11 is revolved to reduce the angle of the planes; or if a straightaway run is desired, the planes are adjusted to still more reduce the angle of the planes with respect to the fuselage.

Should, now, the engines give out, or for some other reason should the aeroplane dive toward the earth, the pilot quickly revolves the hand wheel 11 until the planes are adjusted to a maximum angle so as to present their under surfaces nearly broadside tc the air. This will, in connection with a suitable manipulation of altitude rudders, soon 'bring the aeroplane to an even keel and en able it to volplane safely to the ground.

In the construction of the planes, I provide a suitable number of ribs 12 extended longitudinally of the same, and fasten upon the under and upper surfaces of these ribs sheets of compressed liber 13, la. As shown in Fig. 3, these ber sheets are molded to be thicker in the vicinity of the ribs, but to thin gradually out toward both the front edges 15 and the rear edges 16. These edges are fastened tightly together either by riveting, or by bending sharply over an edge a sheet of thin metal 17, as illustrated at the front edge 15 in Fig. 3.

The sheet fiber is similarly thinned toward the ends of the wings, as shown in Fig. el, the ribs 12 being similarly thinned out or tapered where less strength is needed.

Among other advantages possessed by this material over the fabric ordinarily employed, are these: It will not rip or tear, and a bullet will merely make a smooth hole through it without materially affecting either its strength or its resistance to the air; no expensive and fragile framing is needed for-its support, merely the ribs; it is practically incombustible; no glue is needed for attaching it to the ribs, simply tacks or nails, and any moisture condensing within the interior of the planes due to the cold of higher altitudes, cannot affect the attaching means.

As the aeroplane herein set forth is pr'- marily designed for war purposes, both fighting and bombing, and particularly for bombing, the fuselage is illustrated as of twin type, the two bodies 3 being separated for three or four feet, and joined bya light platform 20 supported preferably below the level of the bodies. Near the center of the platform is an opening 21 within which are two gimbal rings 22, 23 carrying within the inner ring 23 a torpedo or bomb 24 held therein by any easily detachable locking means, as the latches 25. Thus supported by gimbal rings, and the center of gravity of the bomb Qa being below the rings, the bomb is always in a vertical position no matter what the angle of the flying machine,-with in certain limits. Figs. 8 and 9.

Behind the bomb and in front of the seat QG provided for the bomber, is a smaller opening 27 designed to receive the telescope through which the bomber is scanning the earth below. Then he sees that he is snitably positioned above the object to be bombed, the latches 25 are disengaged from the bomb and the latter permitted to drop to its destination.

In case the pilot occupying the seat 30 near the hand wheel 11 is killed or otherwise disabled, it is necessary for the occupant of the seat 31 to control the feathering of the planes. To permit this, a second hand wheel 32 is provided joined by a sprocket chain 83 and sprocket wheels 3l to the hand wheel 11, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

wWhat 1 claim is:

An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a shaft supported transversely of the same with its ends extending beyond the outer sides of the fuselage, means for rotatively adjusting said shaft, a frame fastened upon each extended shaft-end, two uprightg fastened to each frame and rising above the fuselage, a plane attached to the upper ends of said uprights and centrally disposed relative to the fuselage, and two short planes connected with the lower ends of said uprights parallel with the first-recited plane.

1n testimony that 1 claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of April, 1918.

LEONARD ATVOOD. 

